


Contemplation

by AdmiralKatCornwellfan



Series: Tumblr prompts for Voyager [5]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 10:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19789294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdmiralKatCornwellfan/pseuds/AdmiralKatCornwellfan
Summary: “I wish that photographs were physical spaces, like tunnels; that you could crawl inside them and go back.”― Lauren Oliver, Vanishing Girls





	Contemplation

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [J/C Photo Prompts Fic Fest.](https://worthagrand.tumblr.com/post/186199701451/jc-photo-prompt-fic-fest-update-8)See the picture [ here.](http://www.bizarra.com/Biz/photo-prompts/contemplation-latimes.jpg)
> 
> This story is the sequel of [Surprises, Parting gifts and reunions.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16640657) You don't need to read that to enjoy this fic but reading that will give you more understanding about my J/C headcanons post-Endgame.

Kathryn sat in the couch in their comfortable couch, a mug of coffee in her hands, sipping her favorite beverage and looking around the familiar room and simply reminiscing.  
her eyes landed on the side table to her right, silver-framed old fashioned photo frames glinting in the gentle light.  
Kathryn gently picked them up, inhaling the sweet scent of the china vase of yellowy pink peace roses sat nearby. 

  


Three metallic frames held 21st-century styled photographs, black and white, and for Some reason, Kathryn fell in love with them rather than the holoimages that were the style of the 24th century.  
photographs were a solid memory of the times that passed, and for once Kathryn had No qualms about remembering days past. 

  


first One was the picture taken from Doctor's holocamera during Ancestor's eve. She smiled seeing her senior staff, her family and friends, Frozen in time with smiles and champagne flutes in their hands, joy in their faces palpable.  
Tom Paris gifted her the 21st-century version of holoimage as a gift and for Some reason, she loved it More than its original.  
Kathryn kept the holoimage that once graced her ready room now in her office, but she chose to put the black and white photograph at her home.  
lack of color made her remember the Voyager days as something happened long ago and the memories soothed her instead of bringing pain as they once did. 

  


she traced the frame with her finger and kept it back in favor of the other, which was her second favorite, her wedding photograph.  
There were many holoimages of that special day but this image captured by little Naomi had stolen her heart.  
small smiled graced her lips remembering Voyager's first-born daughter is not little anymore, in fact, she was now a decorated captain and a mother of a sweet little boy.  
  
Mentally noting down that she needs to talk to Naomi one of these days, Kathryn centered her attention to the photograph on her lap.  
Chakotay lifting her up from her waist, her white dress crumpled between them, his dimples on the show and pure joy shining on his eyes and her head thrown back and laughing without any restraint.  
Kathryn smiled as she remembered that day. it seemed like yesterday and yet sometimes long ago. There was no logic to that thought but she wouldn't give a damn about logic when it came to her and Chakotay.  
He was the hopeless romantic of the two but she knew there were this deep bond and the sense of belongingness in each other’s arms that science could not explain. Nor that she wanted to do so.  
As passing years told her, some things are better left unexplained. must be her husband's ideas rubbing off her. Kathryn herself had asked Tom to convert Naomi's holoimage to an old photograph and Tom, joked that Kathryn herself was becoming a 20th-century aficionado.  
she traced Chakotay's dear face from her finger, so youthful there than what he was now but the love she had for him never waned and perhaps even stronger today.  
  
They had faced storms together, just like they had during their Voyager days, and so far, they are still strong together, with silver hair and More wrinkles to show what they've endured together.  
the young Kathryn and Chakotay, the ones in the photograph, would not know the trials that waited for them but Kathryn now knew she wouldn’t trade this life with him for anything. Their hair held greyer than color, both their bodies lost the sharp edges and acquired the blurred roundedness that came with age along with wrinkles and aches in new places. But growing old with Chakotay was something she cherished with her whole heart.

  


with a small smile of love and contentment of years spent together bringing her comfort, Kathryn carefully placed the Image back on the side table. The frame was made of aluminum and the glass used to cover the photograph would be a hazard if photograph would fall.  
Like anything else with his 21st-century project, Tom was authentic to the era even with something small as a photograph.  
small piece of transparent aluminum would've made everything safe and damage-free but the fragile nature of the photographs always served as a small reminder of how precious and fragile life was. 

  


The third and the Last photograph, was the most treasured and valued of all. well, to her, all three significant of different times of her life.  
but this third picture, another black and white photograph, because that picture needed no color to bring the beauty and miracle moment it kept frozen inside.  
It was a photograph of Chakotay and herself, dressed in black, holding their sleeping newborn daughter in their arms. (Also, a popular newborn photography method in the early 21st century, according to Tom.) Taya looked so peaceful and tiny, wearing a flower crown made of rosebuds. Chakotay was standing behind her, his arms around her to hold the baby in her arms. and the love they had for her pouring forth that for a moment Kathryn felt as if Taya was still in her arms. 

  


she chuckled remembering the mess they made while Trying to pose for the holoimage and Doctor almost gave up Trying to take it.  
Taya was determined not to be photographed that day. She first peed on Chakotay and he had to change the t-shirt and next she kept crying and screaming. it took about a half an hour to get this picture but it was all worth it. 

Her baby has grown up so fast it seemed just yesterday she was complaining around about her astrophysics finals and as if in Last week she was asking Chakotay to give a ride on his shoulders.  
After all, a photograph is not just about that moment. it was all about the moments that lead up to it and many more. it was about the value you had for the moment in your heart.  
Kathryn gently smiled tracing the cold frame, remembering days passed and maybe more days to come, carefully placed the small photograph back with the others.  
  
Leaning against the arm of the couch, she folded fingers against her cheek, gazed fixed on a faraway point, Kathryn found herself wandering amongst memories of ages ago. Some pleasant and some not, but happened far long ago to recall without the usual acrid aftertaste that often accompanied such memories.  
Her train of thought was broken by the sound of footsteps through the front door. Knowing the familiar sound by heart, Kathryn turned to greet her husband with a smile.  
  
“Came back so soon?”  
  
She aimed the question as she rose to walk towards him and Chakotay replied with a smile of his own, adorned with dimples, now long furrows on his cheeks.  
“Had to cut short. Found a surprise for you”  
“At the transporter station”? Kathryn husked in disbelief and before she could wheedle the details out, the surprise jumped from behind the broad back of Chakotay.  
  
“Mama!”  
  
Kathryn was speechless as she hugged her daughter or whatever part she could reach because Taya was almost tall as her father. She pushed back wanting to see her little girl, all grown up, dressed in Starfleet garb. Blue and black, colors that suited Taya more than it did her or Chakotay. Taya was, in fact, a healer.  
“let me look at you, are you all right?”  
  
Kathryn worried there might be something wrong with her. Being a mother means worrying about her child no matter whether she was ten or twenty-five.  
Taya imitated one of her mother’s infamous eye-rolls- yet good-naturedly. “I’m alright mama, I just got some leave and I thought to give you two a surprise. But dad was at transporter station looking right at me just as I materialized”  
Chakotay laughed loudly at the pout on Taya’s face.  
  
“consider me surprised enough, chakmool*. I never thought you’d be there in the first place”  
  
Giving him a hug, Taya went to her room to change and Chakotay hurried to the kitchen and by the sounds of pots and pans, Kathryn could tell he was making a feast for Taya who came home after so long.  
  
She took her vacated seat and sighed contently, sparing a glance at the photographs on the side. After all, there is nothing more precious than the present and right now, everything was alright in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> *Chakmool= Jaguar in Mayan  
> [source](http://www.native-languages.org/maya_animals.htm)
> 
> This work is Unbetaed. All mistakes are mine.  
> 


End file.
